Need a new Cranking Battery

Any suggestions on a good cranking Battery for a 200 optimax. The original was Interstate and that lasted for a few years. The Trojan that is in it now has been replaced twice so done with that brand. They don't seem to last more than two/three years. Maybe I should head to walmart and get a Everstart and be done with it.

In our 20 foot Angler we use out on the bay, we run the everstart (walmart) batteries and they do great. We run two just incase even though we only have a single outboard but have never had a problem with either. Both have been in there for about 3 years.

If I'm spending your money, go with the Optima, if it's my money, I'd probably go with the Everstart. I'm having trouble with an Everstart that I bought this spring, need to return it. I bought 2 trolling motor batteries, after a day fishing one is dead, the other isn't. They both take a full charge, but after sitting a few weeks, one looses about half of it's charge.

The reason I suggest Optima is that if you are like me, you are running livewell pumps, fish finders and spending alot of time on the trolling motor, which means your cranking battery is getting hammered. I've had too many issues where the cranking battery was too low to crank and I had to switchover to a trolling motor battery. If you fish the potomac and love to frog fish like I do, you'll either want a high end cranking battery or do like several people I know do, and I almost did, just carry two. I know people who have wired their livewells up to the trolling motor batteries to take the load off as well...

I actually now have 5 batteries on my boat - 3TM - 1 cranking and 1 for all my electronics, pumps, lights, etc.....now I need a 5 bank charger and a partner that don't carry much tackle cause the back box is full.......This cold weather doesn't keep the batteries charged up as well as warm, plus if the dummy (me) that owns the boat leaves the master power switch on - it'll drain the juice very quick...

I actually now have 5 batteries on my boat - 3TM - 1 cranking and 1 for all my electronics, pumps, lights, etc.....now I need a 5 bank charger and a partner that don't carry much tackle cause the back box is full.......This cold weather doesn't keep the batteries charged up as well as warm, plus if the dummy (me) that owns the boat leaves the master power switch on - it'll drain the juice very quick...

I have used about every battery out there and have learned too charge the batteries at different amps. not all the time at 10 amp or 20 amp, but at different amps all the time. These batteries are not like the batteries used in you cars / trucks that are seldom being drawn on while not being chared at the same time.